long distance feeder rods

[John Weddup]

Looking for help with suggestions for long distance feeder rods.

 

I fish some large waters and here a lot of rubbish about anglers casting distances. They all claim to cast 100yards where in reality they are nearer 40 or 50yards.

 

I use a three drennan feeder rods 2 at 12ft10 and one 13ft8. I can cast about 60 yards (measured) with these. I practice casting distances and accuracy on a field using old left over groundbait in feeder.

 

What I could do with is another 20yards.

 

I have wondered if the preston dutchmaster or large tri-cast dutch range have a big advantage but still soft enough in tip to land big bream.

 

I presume the larger rings in the tips help reduce line drag.

 

Any help most appreciated

 

regards

 

John

[Kappa]

still soft enough in tip to land big bream.

 

I have just bought a pair of "Drennan specialist distance tench and bream" rods. They look the dogs wotsits (they get their first use in anger this week).

 

Last season I tried some barbel rods for the same purpose but they weren't up to the job the tips were too light, one smashed! They were a bargin, and so I abused them taking the view they if they break they break.

 

Will you be using a quiver tip? If not you'll get more distance with a stiffer blank.

 

Otherwise you could try several things to increase range:

 

Use a larger reel

Use braid

Use lighter line with a shock leader

Use a simple lead instead of a feeder (you could put a little bait in a small pva stocking to put bait out)

Practice, try a little more lead and really practice the cast, timing power etc. If you really punch it out you may get the extra distance but make sure your rods are up to the job!

 

Rich

[James P]

I've used a friends Preston Dutch Master rod John and it was excellent at punching a big feeder out but still having the soft tip section you need for bream fishing. I used it with braid coupled with a mono shock leader and didn't have any problems cracking off at all.

 

You do need to modify your casting action though, or at least I did. I found I had to push reasonalby hard with my top hand a lot more than normal, punching the rod forward, letting the action of the rod propel the feeder.

 

I used the 12' 6" version and had no problem getting 80 yards+ and that was on first use. The large eyes do help with friction and any shock leader knots pass through easily.

 

Typical Preston quality too! Saying that have Tri-Cast ever made a bad rod?

 

Regards

 

James

[Anderoo]

I can get to about 55-60 yards with my 1.5lb tc barbel rod, but as Rich has already said, they're not ideal, and I too broke mine last year after winding it up for the big one (I was trying to reach an island at 80 yards - it was more like 5 yards, which included half a rod ). For 80 yards I reckon you need 1.75lb tc as a minimum, and for them to be designed for punching weights/feeders out. Large rings (and not many of them) helps a lot, as will using a reel with a decent size spool and as low diameter line as you reasonably can.

 

There has been a gap with this kind of rod, with the only choices being barbel rods, then nothing, then carp rods, which all seem to start at 2.75lb tc these days! The Drennan tench & bream rods have filled that gap (either 2lb or 1.75lb tc) but aren't cheap. If you're going to be using them a lot, I'd say they are a sound investment though.

 

The other thing that helps is casing style. I only really got the hang of this last year (most of my fishing is quite close in) but it made a huge difference. Start with your weight on your back foot, leaning slightly back; have a drop of about 4ft from the rod tip; (assuming you're right handed) your right hand is just a pivot, don't push with it - all the power comes from pulling your left hand towards you; at the same time, transfer your weight onto your front foot. Get the timing right and it flies.

 

PS I know what you mean about unmeasured 100yard casts

[Kappa]

PS I know what you mean about unmeasured 100yard casts

 

I know what you mean! I actually now carry a 50m tape measure with me on long sessions. I can measure out the cast once I've found a good area or measure out the line to cast a known distance. 80 yard+ is a very long cast!

 

p.s. I think the 2lb TC versions of the drennan rods may have been discontinued, I found it quite hard to find a pair!

 

Rich

[Kappa]

You do need to modify your casting action though, or at least I did. I found I had to push reasonalby hard with my top hand a lot more than normal, punching the rod forward, letting the action of the rod propel the feeder.

 

I too like punching the rod forward with the top hand. That said I was using cheap rods I didn't mind breaking, I'm not sure I will be so brave with my new shiney (an expensive) ones!

 

Rich

[John Weddup]

Thankyou all for help.

 

I was hoping to continue with tip rods as I do love watching a pair side by side, up in the air style like on fast rivers.

 

I normally adopt this style for all large water fishing. Its so much more comfortable than staring down at tips near water level espescially when it can be hours before the fish show.

 

A friend was with me yesterday and he used a drennan tench rod with a sidewinder and got a little more distance than me.

 

I don,t want a rod so stiff that you cannot feel a skimmer or good roach on the end although obviously I do not want to be catching skimmers at 80yards.

 

The reservoirs I am fishing do however have some large roach.

 

Primarily though I am looking at catching bream from 5lbs to 9lbs but with the hope of something a little larger. The bream on these large gin clear reservoirs seem to hold a long way out.

 

I have two daiwa caldia 4000 reels for this larger feeder work and they do have large spools. I use the smaller caldia 3500 and several td-rs for other work.

 

A guy near me last year was using a carp rod and getting good distance. He did have a couple of fish but could not get bait to where he was fishing to hold them in his swim. This I suppose would be the next problem as even the whopper dropper struggles to get 60yards. At least with a big feeder I could hammer several of those out and get some bait in or possibly use a spod rod for particle.

 

thanks again

 

John

[lutra]

One answer to fishing with a soft rod at long range, nice and tight and tangle free is get a bait boat.

[Anderoo]

A guy near me last year was using a carp rod and getting good distance. He did have a couple of fish but could not get bait to where he was fishing to hold them in his swim.

 

This is exactly the reason I don't really like distance fishing! The further out you go the harder it is to bait accurately. At 80 yards you don't need much of a side wind to mess up your feeding. Having said that, if that's where the fish are, that's just another problem that needs solving.

[Guest tigger]

I got some 1 1/2 test Drennan Avon specialist feeder rods and even though I've not used them yet I reckon you could rattle a feeder to the horizan with them. There rated to 10lb line so you can really let ripp when casting. I looked at the 1 1/4 like Anderoos and there great but the extra power for casting at range you get with the 1 1/2 test is surprising. Well worth having a nosey as they won't break the bank.

 

 

JW don't forget if you use say 10lb braid you can cast further easier and it's better for hitting the fish at range.

Edited April 20, 2009 by tigger